media-releases

SWAN BAY AMBULANCE BRANCH A STEP CLOSER

The Andrews Labor Government is giving paramedics on the Bellarine Peninsula a safe and modern ambulance station so they’re better equipped to respond faster when emergency strikes.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville today met with hard-working local paramedics to reveal that land had been acquired for a new state of the art station at Swan Bay.

The $2.7 million new facility will be built on land located between Queenscliff and St Leonards, meaning paramedics can respond to emergencies faster at either location – and everywhere in between, providing the highest quality of treatment and care for locals, and the steady stream of visitors to the Bellarine Peninsula.

The new purpose-built station will feature a drive in-and-out garage bay for vehicles, rest and recline areas, training rooms, bedrooms, modern amenities and fully-fitted out kitchen.

The Labor Government has funded seven full-time paramedics who are temporarily based at the Bellarine Branch in Drysdale ahead of the new station opening. These paramedics are already making a huge difference to response times across Queenscliff, St Leonard’s, Indented Head and Portarlington.

The Labor Government is rebuilding our ambulance system after four years of crisis and neglect by the Liberal Government, who went to war with Victoria’s paramedics. Our $500 million plan is employing more paramedics, buying the latest cutting-edge vehicles and building more ambulance stations right around the state.

Now, ambulances are arriving at Code 1 emergencies faster than they have in nearly a decade. Across both the City of Greater Geelong and the Borough of Queenscliff, ambulance response times have improved dramatically since the former Liberal Government went to war with paramedics.

In Queenscliff the average response time has improved from 21:26 minutes in 2014-15 to 16:42 minutes in the third quarter of 2017-18 – a massive boost of almost 5 minutes, which is set to improve further with a dedicated ambulance branch servicing this part of the Bellarine Peninsula.

The Swan Bay Ambulance Station is planned to open in 2019.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“We said we’d build a new ambulance station on the Bellarine Peninsula and we’re getting it done. This is about giving our hard-working paramedics the facilities they need to do what they do best, and that’s saving lives.”

“Victorians deserve a health system that they can rely on when they need it and that’s what we’re delivering – this is in stark contrast to the Liberals who went to war with our paramedics and cut health funding to our hospitals.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville

“Thank you to all paramedics supporting the Bellarine community from the temporary Drysdale Branch, who’ve made a massive difference to response times – this has both saved lives and boosted patient outcomes.”

“The new ambulance station at Swan Bay will mean they can offer the highest quality of treatment and care not just for locals, but for the many visitors who flock to the area.”